Rocket launcher



April 24, 1951 F. c. LINDVALL 2,550,072

ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed Dec. 29, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR a. L/NDLL ATTORNEY April 24, 1951 F. C. LINDVALL ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed Dec. 29, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR ATTORNEY April 24, 1951 F. c. LINDVALL ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed Dec. 29, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR FREDERICK G. L/NDVALL BY t (I I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENTOFFKCE ROCKET LAUNCHER Frederick C. Lindvall, Altadena, Calif., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application December 29, 1944, Serial No. 570,420

2 Claims.

may be readily transported by one person even in rough or otherwise adverse terrain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a taken on line I II I 'of Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the loose connection between one of the legs and the rocket track.

The launcher, as illustrated, is a single-track launcher having two rails which are generally L shaped in cross section. That is, each rail has a generally vertical side II and a generally horizontal bottom I la extending from the lower edge of the side and at substantially right angles rocket launcher which may be transported in a folded condition and may be quickly unfolded and" emplaced for use.

A further object is to provide a launcher of the character described which is easily adjustable during emplacement to compensate for irregulari ties in the level of the ground.

Still another object is to provide a rocket launcher having simple means whereby train adjustment, to correct for minor errors in original emplacement, may be made without disturbing the emplacement.

An additional object of the invention is to pro vide a rocket launcher of the character described which may be readily adjusted during emplacement and then looked in its adjusted position.

These and other objects of the invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rocket launcher made in accordance with the invention, showing the launcher in its emplaced position ready for firing;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the rear portion of the launcher, with parts of the track broken away;

Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the rear end portion of the launcher, showing the elec trical firing contacts and the slidable mounting for train adjustment;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the launcher, shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front view of part of the launcher, showing the hinge connections between the supporting legs and the track;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views on the lines 6--6 and 1-1, respectively, in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the launcher in its folded position ready for transport;

Fig. 9 is a rear end view of the launcher as shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a detail section taken on line Ill-I'D of Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the eccentric track lock, and Fig. 11 is a detail cross section thereto. The rails I8 are disposed in parallel spaced relation with their bottom or horizontal portions I la. extending toward each other. At their adjacent edges the-bottom walls Ila have upturned ribs or flanges I2, while the upper edges of the vertical sides I I have inturned ribs I3.

The rails ID form a track providing a four-point support for the rocket to be launched. More particularly, as shown in Fig. '7, the two upturned ribs I2 engage and support the lower portion of the rocket A, while the inturned ribs I3 engage and support the opposite side portions of the rocket above the ribs I2. The rocket may be of any well-known construction, such as that disclosed in a copending application of C. C. Lauritsen, Serial No. 481,644, filed April 2, 1943, now Patent No. 2,464,181. As shown, the rocket A comprises an elongated bomb case, an elongated rocket motor B secured to the rear end of the bomb case, and tail fins disposed at the rear end of the motor and surrounded by tail rings C and D. The tail rings are coaxial, and the forward ring C is insulated while the rear ring D is grounded to the rocket. The tail rings are employed to make electrical contact, as will be described hereinafter.

If desired, the vertical and horizontal portions of the rails It may be reinforced by stiifeners It in the form of strips extending diagonally between the remote edge portions of the rail walls II and Ila. The rails are connected in parallel spaced relation by cross members I5, one of which is disposed at each end of the track. The track formed by the rails I0 is adapted to occupy a sloping position, as will be described presently.

The lower or rear cross member I 5 of the track has a pair of depending ears It in which a cross rod I7 is journaled, the rod I! extending transversely of the rails and projecting a substantial distance beyond each of the ears I6. The cross rod I1, in turn, is supported at the approximate apexes of substantially pyramidally formed up right side members I8 on a base plate I9 which, as shown, is substantially wider than the track and has a shape somewhat like a scoop. Holes I9a are formed in the base plate so that stakes or pins [9b may be driven through the plate to assist in anchoring it on the ground.

It will be apparent that the cross rod ll provides a hinge connection between the base plate l9 and the track Ifl-Ill, and that the rear end of the track is slidable laterally on the rod I! a limited amount with respect to the base plate. Preferably, a releaseable clamping device is provided for locking the track in its adjusted position on the cross rod ll. As shown, the locking device comprises a lever 20 rotatable on the cross rod and having at its inner end an eccentric 2001 (Figs. 8 and 9) adapted to be wedged between the cross rod and the adjacent cross member 15'. That is, by forcing the lever 26 downwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 10, the eccentric 20a is forced to its wedging position tolock. the track against lateral movement on cross rod i1, and when the lever is returned to the position shown in Fig. l, the track is released for lateral adjustment on the cross rod. Graduations lla may be provided on the cross rod ll so that the amount of lateral displacement of the track on the rod can be measured.

A pair of brackets 2| (Fig. 5) is mounted on the rails l0 intermediate their ends, preferably at points about two-thirds or three-fourths of the length of the rails from their lower or rear ends. The brackets 2i are mounted on a cross member lEa (Fig. 5) having a generally triangular depending portion to which. the brackets are secured. A folding leg 22 is hinged to each bracket 2| by means of pins 2 la. These pins may consist of end-threaded bolts (Fig. 11) the smooth parts of which ride loosely in slightly oversize holes 22a in the upper part of each leg and in the brace 23a which reinforces it. As shown particularly in Fig. 5, the brackets 2| are so mounted on cross member l5a that the axes of the hinge connections 2 la between the brackets and the respective legs 22 form a V. Thus, when the legs are swung to their supporting positions on the brackets 21, they extend in diverging relation from the rails in, as shown in Fig. 1. Since the upper ends of the legs have loose connections with the launcher track the legs will adapt themselves to the training of the track when such adjustments are. made along the rod l1. If the legs were connected only to turn on their pivots and not yield laterally thereon the legs would be subjected to undesirable twists. The legs 22 are channel-shaped in cross section and are slidable within extensible legs 23, which are likewise channel-shaped in cross section. The cross portions of the legs 23, however, face in the opposite direction to the cross portions of the legs 22.

Guide strips 24 are secured to the extensible legs 23 across the open portions of their channels so as to engage the cross portions of legs 22 and retain the latter within the channels. One of the guide strips 24 of each leg 23 includes a clamp lever 25 having an eccentric 25a, whereby the legs 22 and 23 may be locked or wedged against relative longitudinal movement. At their lower ends, the extensible legs 23 are provided with foot pads 26 in the form of circular discs pivotally secured to the legs. The discs 25; may be provided with holes through whichstakes may be driven and, in addition, may be provided with cleats 2'! to assist in anchoring the legs on the ground.

At its lower end, the track Illhas agrounded contact 28 and a live contact 29. In mounting the rocket on the launcher, the rocket assembly is placed in the track ill-40 and moved rearwardly and downwardly until the grounded tail ring D slides under and engages the grounded clearance notches 3| to avoid contact between the 1 rails and the insulated or live tail ring C when the rocket is in firing position on the launcher. The live contact 29 extends through an opening in a plate 29a connected between the rails, and is adapted to be energized by current supplied through a cable 32 leading from a remote point into a housing 33 on the bottom of the track. Whenv the rocket is to be fired, an energizing circult is established from a remote current source (not shown) through cable 32, live contact 29, insulated. ring C, the usual ignitor (not shown) in rocket motor B, the grounded ring D, and the grounded contact 28 to the other side of the current source.

It will be apparent that the supporting legs 22 are so mounted on track. lfil that the legs may be folded into parallel relation with the rails, as shown in Fig. 8. In this position of the launcher, the supporting legs extend along the rails lzlto ward their rear ends and lie fiat against the rails so that the launcher is in a compact form which may be easily transported. Also, the base plate i9 may be folded up over the top edges of the rails, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, to make the launcher more compact. When the launcher is folded, a single strap 34, secured to one of the extensible legs 23, may be wrapped around both of the legs as well as the rails ill and base plate is to hold.

the parts in a compact, rigid package.

The rocket launcher is emplaced by unfolding the legs and adjusting their lengths in conformity with the terrain, the legs being clamped in their adjusted positions by the clamping levers 25. The quadrant angle of the launcher is determined by use of a gunners quadrant or similar bubble protractor, and the launcher is aimed by sighting through the rail assembly. Slight errors in aiming the launcher may be corrected by lateral adjustment of the base end of track llll d on cross rod ll, the track being locked in its adjusted position by clamping lever 2i It will be understood that the cross member l5a, brackets 2i and pivots 2la provide a somewhat loose connection between the legs 22 and the rails, so as to accommodate any lateral adjustment of the rear end of the track ill-4E] relative to base plate It.

With the new construction, the launcher may be made in a light-weight form weighing approximately 30 pounds and can be set up and aimed by one man in less than a minute.

I claim:

1. In a rocket launcher, a launcher track for supporting and guiding a rocket, a base plate at the rear end portion of the track, an interengaged rod and ears forming a hinge connection between the rear end portion of the track and said base plate and on the rod of which hinge connection the ears are slidable laterally to adjust the rear end of the track and so alter the train thereof, legs adjacent to the front of the track to assume standing positions for supporting the track, and hinge connections between the track and one end of each leg, the hinges being laterally loose for adaptation of the track to the legs in training.

2. A rocket launcher comprising a launcher track for supporting and guiding a rocket, a base plate, a cross rod attached to the base plate and 5 the rear end of the track being slidable laterally on the cross rod, a pair of legs hinged to the track to form with the base plate a three-point support for the track, the hinge connections between the legs and the track being loose to provide for limited lateral yielding of the legs on their con-' nections to prevent twisting thereof and thus to accommodate lateral movement of the rear end portion of the track on the cross rod and relative to the base plate while altering the train of the track, and clamping means turnable on the rod at any position of the rear portion of the track thereon into clamping engagement with a part of the rear portion of the track for securing said track in the particular position of train.

FREDERICK C. LINDVALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 1: UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Cunningham Oct.v 24, 1882 Dawson July 1, 1890 Meadowcroft June 20, 1893 Stokes Mar. 23, 1920 Gomez Jan. 10, 1922 Henneveld May 22, 1928 Schuler Feb. 11, 1930 Caulkins July 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Dec. 11, 1925 France Apr. 15, 1935 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1943 

